A blog for cinephiles

Michael Shannon

I have been excited for Midnight Special for some time now. The first trailer came out a while ago but we now have another one to enjoy:

There’s a host of reasons why this is a film to look forward to.

The director is Jeff Nichols. Nichols directed Take Shelter (2011) and Mud (2012), both excellent movies that are worth your time if you haven’t already seen them. He makes movies that infuse you with their mood and linger with you long after they’re finished.

The cast. You had me at Michael Shannon, but throw in Joel Edgerton and Adam Driver too and things really start to get interesting.

The mystery. The trailer gives us a peak into what the movie is about but, if Nichols’ previous films are anything to go by, you need to be prepared for the movie being about more than what you see on the surface. And it won’t be spelled out for you either, you’ll have to do some thinking.

In essence, the trailer shows us the story of a father and son on the run, as the son clearly has some special powers that his father can’t keep hidden any longer. The FBI is after them, but so are others, as their story becomes public knowledge. The premise is intriguing and it could be a refreshing perspective on what happens to someone with powers that humans cannot explain – who would want to get a hold of such a person, how can you make sense of the purpose of those powers? And if that someone was your child, what would you do?

Midnight Special is released in March, and I’ll be keeping fingers crossed that this lives up to expectations.